Toxic Chemicals in Period Products
Most conventional pads and tampons advertised to aid people during their menstruation cycles are made with synthetic materials and toxic substances that can be harmful to humans and the environment. Exposure to toxic substances through period care is a real concern due to the fact that these products come into contact with some of the body’s most sensitive and absorptive skin. Consider this fact: doctors are increasingly administering hormone treatments vaginally because the drug can be transferred directly into the bloodstream without being metabolized the way it would if taken orally. [1] When administered vaginally, the levels of the drug in the body can be 10-80 times higher than when administered orally.
One study found endocrine active compounds in period care and concluded that, “the estimates exposure doses of phthalates, parabens, and bisphenols through the dermal absorption pathway from the use of pads, panty liners and tampons was significant.” [2] This is a serious route of exposure for people using these products for several days at a time on a monthly basis over the course of many years. Yet despite all of this known information, it is still not common practice for companies to disclose what’s inside period products.
Consumers need to demand transparency because these products are regulated as “medical devices,” meaning there’s no government requirement that ingredients and materials be disclosed. This results in shoppers being in the dark in regards to harmful chemicals that are in period products.
Ingredients of Concern
Some ingredients of concern that commonly show up in period products are:
Dioxins & furans – Dioxins and furans are byproducts of the bleaching process, which are linked to cancer and endocrine disruption.
Heavy Metals – A 2024 study found the presence of 16 heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, mercury, and nickel in tampons from 14 different brands. [3] This is concerning because many heavy metals, such as lead, are considered to have no “safe” exposure level and are associated with negative health outcomes. Adult exposure to lead, for example, is associated with reproductive problems, high blood pressure, nerve disorders, memory and concentration problems, and muscle and joint pain. [4]
High-Risk Pesticide – Not all pads and tampons are made with cotton, but the ones that are tend to be made with conventionally grown cotton, which is grown using toxic pesticides. Some commonly used pesticides are linked to cancer [5] and are considered potential endocrine disruptors. [6] This is a concern because the heavy usage of high-risk pesticides negatively effects the environment and the humans involved in the growing process, and also poses a risk for exposure to pesticide residue in the final product. The FDA recommends that tampons be “free of any pesticide and herbicide residues,” [7] but there is currently no way to enforce this because the FDA does not require companies to test for harmful chemicals or to disclose when they are present.
Plastics & Synthetic Materials – These materials contribute to plastic pollution due to their lack of biodegradability. While they may look like cotton, it turns out that most conventional pads and tampons aren’t actually made entirely with cotton. Most are made of synthetic materials like rayon, which is sourced from trees, but highly processed so that the final product is far from being natural.
Many period care products also use polyester, a plastic by another name. Sadly, plastic has become a mainstay material in many tampons and pads over the last 50 years. Examples of the plastic found in period products are polyester fibers interwoven into the body of pads, “leak-proof” polypropylene that lines the back of pads, plastic tampon applicators, polyester blends in the body or strings of tampons, and coatings used to help smoothen tampon removal. It has been estimated that over the lifetime of a single person, the individual amount of waste is somewhere between five and 15 thousand pads and tampons that ultimately end up as landfill waste. [8] Collectively, it’s estimated that more than 20 billion period products (pads, tampons and applicators) are sent to landfills annually, contributing to the single-use plastic pollution problem. [9] On top of this, plastics and plasticizing chemicals, such as BPA , have been associated with negative health outcomes.
Superabsorbent Polymers (SAPs) - Conventional pads also commonly use SAPs (superabsorbent polymers), which are designed to hold enormous amounts of liquid. The problem is that they are most commonly comprised of sodium polyacrylate, a synthetic material that is not biodegradable. They are also manufactured from and likely contaminated with acrylic acid, which is a skin irritant. [10] Emerging technology may eliminate SAPs, by utilizing materials manufactured in the nanoscale, which some scientists have concerns about. [11]
The Period Revolution
People in search of more mindful menstrual products finally have more options for both disposable and reusable options. Period panties and reusable pads and menstrual cups are an important step forward in period care, offering reusable solutions for years without the need for a monthly purchase.
However, not all of these options are made from entirely nontoxic materials. Menstrual cups should be free from dyes and made of 100% medical grade silicone. Period panties should be made from cotton, preferably organic materials, and it’s important to know what is in the core. It’s possible that there are plastics, nanomaterials, or PFAS chemicals in the mix, which should be avoided. [12] Look for a company that has tested their products and is willing to disclose all materials used.
Want some help thinking through which nontoxic period solution is right for you? Read our Ultimate Guide to Period Products.
Tips for Choosing Better Period Products
Shop the MADE SAFE seal to ensure the product is made without substances known or suspected to cause human and ecosystem harm. Otherwise, here is what to look for:
- Tampons:
- 100% organic cotton
- Fragrance-free
- Unbleached or bleached without the use of chlorine bleach
- Forgo the applicator or use a biodegradable paper applicator when necessary.
- Opt for plastic-free packaging
- Pads + Liners:
- 100% organic cotton or hemp
- Fragrance-free
- Unbleached or bleached without the use of chlorine bleach
- Menstrual Cups:
- 100% medical-grade silicone
- Not dyed
- Reusable Pads + Liners:
- Organic cotton as the primary material
- Made without ANY plastics or plasticizers
- Do not contain nanomaterials
- Do not contain and PFAS ingredients
- Period Panties:
- Organic cotton as the primary material.
- Full disclosure of all materials used in the products.
- Avoid panties labeled as “antimicrobial” or “antibacterial” as this likely indicates the use of nanomaterials or other chemical treatments like silver nanoparticles .
References
[1] Tourgeman, D. E., Gentzchein, E., Stanczyk, F. Z., & Paulson, R. J. (1999). Serum and tissue hormone levels of vaginally and orally administered estradiol. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 180(6 Pt 1), 1480–1483. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9378(99)70042-6.
[2] Gao, Chong-Jing, and Kurunthachalam Kannan. “Phthalates, Bisphenols, Parabens, and Triclocarban in Feminine Hygiene Products from the United States and Their Implications for Human Exposure.” Environment International, 13 Jan. 2020, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412019333859.
[3] Shearston, J. A., Upson, K., Gordon, M., Do, V., Balac, O., Nguyen, K., Yan, B., Kioumourtzoglou, M.-A., & Schilling, K. (2024, June 22). Tampons as a source of exposure to metal(loid)s. Environment International. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004355.
[4] Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). What are some of the health effects of lead?. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/lead/what-are-some-health-effects-lead.
[5] Donsky, Andrea. “Is There Pesticide Residue on Your Tampons? Our Independent Testing Gets Specific: Naturally Savvy.” NaturallySavvy.Com, 30 May 2019, naturallysavvy.com/care/is-there-pesticide-residue-on-your-tampons-our-independent-testing-gets-specific/.
[6] Brown, Valerie. “Pesticide-Induced Diseases: Endocrine Disruption.” Beyond Pesticides, 2022, www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/pesticide-induced-diseases-database/endocrine-disruption.
[7] Center for Devices and Radiological Health. (n.d.). Menstrual tampons and pads: Information for premarket guidance. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/menstrual-tampons-and-pads-information-premarket-notification-submissions-510ks-guidance-industry.
[8] Borunda, Alejandra. “How Tampons and Pads Became Unsustainable and Filled with Plastic.” Environment, 3 May 2021, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/how-tampons-pads-became-unsustainable-story-of-plastic.
[9] Sharma, Chandra S. “Making Women’s Sanitary Products Safer and Cheaper.” Elsevier Connect, 27 Sept. 2016, www.elsevier.com/connect/making-womens-sanitary-products-safer-and-cheaper.
[10] National Center for Biotechnology Information (2025). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 6581, Acrylic acid. Retrieved March 3, 2025 from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Acrylic-acid.
[11] Sharma, Chandra S. “Making Women’s Sanitary Products Safer and Cheaper.” Elsevier Connect, 27 Sept. 2016, www.elsevier.com/connect/making-womens-sanitary-products-safer-and-cheaper.
[12] Choy, Jessian. “New Independent Study Confirms PFAS in Thinx, Other Products.” Sierra Club, 3 June 2021, www.sierraclub.org/sierra/ask-ms-green/new-independent-study-confirms-pfas-thinx-other-products.
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